Michael Jackson: The King of Pills
The King is dead, long live the King. The multi-talented and charismatic performer may be gone, to live on in a digitally-recorded afterlife, but I suspect that we'll soon learn that the death of Michael Jackson the man was caused in large part by his addiction to prescription medication.
Everyone is anxiously waiting to pounce on the doctors, nurses, and/or pharmacists who gave Jackson seemingly unlimited access to whatever pill or drip he needed/wanted/craved. The media will have a field day crucifying those who handed out prescriptions to whichever alias he was using at the time. There are cries of "foul play," intimations of murder. But I'm sure no one forced Jackson to swallow his pills or held him down to inject IVs into his veins. When you're an addict, you're sure you can't exist without your substance of choice; wild horses couldn't stop you from seeking it out, from creating a network of enablers to bolster your habit. (And I'm qualified to speak on this subject - I've got over 25 years of sobriety under my belt).
In fact, the real culprit in this tragedy is less a negligent doctor or well-paid enabler than the cultural milieu we live in: let's pop a pill and make all our problems go away!
Whether it's junior raiding mom's medicine cabinet for those leftover Vicodans from her gall bladder surgery, or sis abusing oxycontin, or mom filling extra prescriptions for her own use of the ADHD medication meant for her kid because it helps her lose weight, or dad popping that little blue pill that makes him feel more like a man, we're all reaching for the pill bottle way too often rather than going through the hard work of examining and working on our issues and life changes.
Approximately a third of all U.S. drug abuse is prescription drug abuse. The latest statistics indicate that an estimated 5.2 million Americans, age 12 or older, used prescription pain relievers for non-medical purposes! And talk about enablers . . . did you realize that there are approximately 800,000 web sites that sell prescription drugs and ship them right to your home with few questions asked? There are obviously a lot of people reaching for mother's little helper.
Are we surprised, then, that Michael Jackson is being linked to such a wide array of pain killers (Demerol, Oxycodone, Dilaudid, Vicodan), anti-anxiety (Xanax) and anti-depressant meds (Zoloft), and even anesthetizing himself with the "milk of amnesia" (Deprivan, used to knock out patients in hospitals prior to surgery) so he could sleep? A police report prepared for Jackson's 2004 child-abuse trial alleges he was taking up to 40 Xanax pills a night. After his death, bottles of Deprivan were found in his home, along with the IV equipment needed to administer the powerful anesthetic.
Addiction is nasty, but who's got time these days to work through their anger at their ex's cheating ways, or grieve over a parent's death, or find the cause of the back pain that comes on whenever something goes wrong at work? Pop a pill. It's fast. It's a surefire escape route from whatever's bothering you. If you're Michael Jackson, that could be the abuse you suffered as a child, the bad press you've gotten for years as a possible child molester and all-around strange person, coupled with performance anxiety about a 50-night concert tour you might not be physically able to handle. At least until your tolerance builds to the point where your favorite drug no longer works, and you need more . . . and stronger . . . and hey, shooting it up might work better than swallowing a pill . . . and . . . and . . . there we are, watching a memorial service.
Wouldn't it be better to shelve the pills and acknowledge the problem, whatever it is? To find the truth that's being blurred or slurred by painkillers, to examine the cause of the anxiety hidden under the Xanax, to admit the addiction and seek real help, not another enabler? There are 12-step programs out there for every kind of addiction. There are addiction therapists if group sobriety is not for you. The ones who really love you will stand behind your efforts, and be thankful that they won't be attending your memorial any time soon.
Follow Deborah King on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Deborah_King
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well, what do you know.. even in death-- HE BROKE ELVIS' RECORD!
12 step won't cut it with pharmaceuticals.
I would agree that only Michael Jackson is responsible for any drug abuse, but he did keep it private for the most part except when he admitted to going to a clinic to break his addiction on the Dangerous tour I think it was.
However, on the question of Michael Jackson's death, if a doctor administered an overdose or a lethal cocktail to Michael Jackson, then the responsibility for his death lies with the doctor. It could go either way at this point, and it may not have been drugs that killed him for all we know.
provocative comment
I agree that there should be criminal culpability if MJ's physician administered a lethal dosage. However, with Michael's heavy RX abuse history, it's very possible he got the dosage he needed/requested in light of the tolerance he would have developed to the drug from repeated abuse.
NO MD other than an anesthesiologist (or CRNA - certified registered nurse anesthetist) has the required training to maintain the airway and resuscitate, needed for administering Propofol and this is even written into some state board rules for nurses -- that RNs cannot administer Propofol.
If that cardiologist administered Propofol/Diprivan, it was absolutely an outrage, whether he somehow got the dosage right or not. He simply did not have the training to safely administer it -- and what's more, this doctor knew that, as does any doctor.
Instead of being MJ's friend first, as his lawyer said he was, he should have been his doctor first and should have firmly explained that anesthesia is improper for the doctor to administer, is extremely risky and lethal, and is NOT helpful for treatment of sleep problems -- the doctor should have introduced him to other methods for better sleep -- gotten him some serious psychological help and should have looked into non-pharmaceutical methods for him.
The US pharmaceutical industry runs the health industry. Don't expect an MD to know a thing about anything that doesn't involve handing you a pill. That is the crux of the problem. Our doctors are completely useless except for feeding us pills and operating. They don't care to learn any other ways to keep people healthy.
After watching the Pepsi video shoot where his entire top scalp is burnt off, maybe Michael Jackson was in perpetual pain and needed painkillers. We should consider that angle, too. Of course, people who need painkillers still build up tolerance. It really is impossible to pin him down at this point. He remains an enigma even in death.
This was a good piece and goes right to the heart of the matter.
Unfortunately, I don't think this type of rational, fact-based argument has any effect whatsoever on addicts. The only thing that seems to work is when they bring themselves right into Death's waiting room, or nearly cause someone else's death. And sometimes even that isn't enough.
I can't imagine what goes on in a brain attached to a body that is processing 40 Xanax tabs per day. I live with someone who took 1 tab/day for a week, and it was like living with an acid freak from the early 70's. After a week, he admitted that he didn't feel tied into reality, and decided that dealing with anxiety in therapy was a better idea.
Not only was Jackson damaging his body; he was destroying his mind. He must have been living in nearly constant illusion. Add high consumption of Jesus juice to that, and its Mad Tea Party time.
I'm really getting tired of all the Michael Jackson hoopla, but this blog finally brought home a practical, and slightly scary, reality. We really do think we can take a pill and not deal with our stuff. I will remember it the next time I reach for something to "ease" the moment....
I agree - the final responsibility for all the year's of Michael Jackson's drug use rests with him; although those around him should take a close look at their contributions!
Great article, very informative - - where did you get your expertise on the subject of addiction?
Glad you like my piece on Michael Jackson. I'm qualified to speak about addiction because of my own experiences: I've got over 25 years of sobriety, thanks to 12 step programs like AA and NA. I've helped thousands into recovery so they can get back to living their lives!
My hat's off to you. 25 years of clean and sober deserves respect. I know from dealing with family members that it is a never-ending struggle that requires a strong will and belief in a higher power.
I have no clue who you are (sorry) but congrats on your sobriety.
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